Sensor and sensor manufacturing method

Abstract

Provided is a sensor which makes it easy to mount a cable to a circuit board. This sensor 1 is provided with: a circuit board 2 ; a connector 10 which is composed of a metal material and which is fixed to the circuit board 2 ; and a cable 3 which is connected to the circuit board 2 via the connector 10 . The connector 10 has: a bottom part 11 that is connected to the circuit board 2 ; and a pair of pinching elements 12 L, 12 R that are raised upright from said bottom part 11 . The cable 3 is held in a space S between the pair of pinching elements 12 L, 12 R.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A sensor comprising:
 a circuit board; 
 a connector which is composed of a metal material and which is fixed to the circuit board; and 
 a cable which is connected to the circuit board via the connector, wherein the cable includes a plurality of strands and an outer covering bundling the plurality of strands, and each of the strands includes a core wire and an inner covering the core wire, 
 wherein the connector includes:
 a bottom part, comprising a base, connected to the circuit board; 
 a first pinching part, comprising a first pair of protrusions raised upright from the bottom part and bent back towards the bottom part forming a first pair of substrates extending substantially parallel to the first pair of protrusions; and 
 a second pinching part, comprising a second pair of protrusions raised upright from the bottom part, wherein the cable is pinched in a space sandwiched by the second pair of protrusions, and 
 
 wherein the cable is pinched in a space sandwiched by the first pair of protrusions 
 wherein the first pair of substrates further includes a returning part provided so that an interval of the first pair of substrates becomes narrow as it goes away from the bottom part, and 
 wherein the returning part is formed to be narrower than a diameter of the inner covering in a portion in which the interval of the first pair of substrates is the narrowest. 
 
     
     
       2. The sensor according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first pair of protrusions is formed mirror-symmetrically when viewed from an intermediate position of the first pair of protrusions. 
 
     
     
       3. The sensor according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the connector is formed by a bent metal foil, 
 wherein the metal foil includes a first surface, a second surface on a side opposite to the first surface, and an end surface connecting the first surface and the second surface, wherein the end surface faces the space sandwiched by the first pair of protrusions, and 
 wherein the first pair of protrusions pinches the cable by using the end surface. 
 
     
     
       4. The sensor according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the connector is formed of the metal foil bent a plurality of times so that all creases are orthogonal to an extension direction of the cable. 
 
     
     
       5. The sensor according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein in the bottom part, the second surface is connected to the circuit board, wherein the second surface of the first pair of protrusions faces the second surface of the first pair of substrates. 
 
     
     
       6. The sensor according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the cable includes a plurality of strands and an outer covering bundling the plurality of strands, 
 wherein each of the strands includes a core wire composed of a plurality of conductive wires and an inner covering covering the core wire, 
 wherein the first pair of protrusions pinches the core wire, and 
 wherein the first pair of substrates pinches the inner covering. 
 
     
     
       7. The sensor according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the first pair of protrusions includes a receiving part provided at a tip of the first pair of protrusions and provided so that an interval of the first pair of protrusions becomes narrow as it goes toward the bottom part. 
 
     
     
       8. The sensor according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the end surface of the first pair of protrusions in the receiving part is formed in a wedge shape. 
 
     
     
       9. The sensor according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the core wire is composed of a plurality of conductive wires, 
 wherein all of the first pair of protrusions and the first pair of substrates pinch the inner covering, and 
 wherein at least one of the bottom part, the first pair of protrusions, and the first pair of substrates includes a pressure-contact blade that penetrates the inner covering and is conductive to the core wire. 
 
     
     
       10. The sensor according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein each of the first pair of protrusions and the first pair of substrates includes the pressure-contact blade, and 
 wherein a plurality of pressure-contact blades penetrate the inner covering while the connector is tightened so that the interval of the first pair of protrusions becomes narrow and the interval of the first pair of substrates becomes narrow. 
 
     
     
       11. A sensor manufacturing method comprising:
 a first step of forming a connector including a bottom part and a first pair of protrusions raised upright from the bottom part and bent back towards the bottom part forming a first pair of substrates extending substantially parallel to the first pair of protrusions by a metal material; 
 a second step of connecting the connector to a circuit board; and
 a third step of pressing a cable toward the bottom part and pinching the cable in a space sandwiched between the first pair of protrusions, wherein the cable includes a plurality of strands and an outer covering bundling the plurality of strands, and each of the strands includes a core wire and an inner covering the core wire, the first pair of substrates further includes a returning part provided so that an interval of the first pair of substrates becomes narrow as it goes away from the bottom part, and the returning part is formed to be narrower than a diameter of the inner covering in a portion in which the interval of the first pair of substrates is the narrowest, 
 
 wherein the cable includes a plurality of strands and an outer covering bundling the plurality of strands, 
 wherein each of the strands includes a core wire composed of a plurality of conductive wires and an inner covering the core wire, 
 wherein the connector further includes a pressure-contact blade provided in the bottom part, and 
 wherein in the third step, the pressure-contact blade penetrates the inner covering to be conductive to the core wire. 
 
     
     
       12. The sensor manufacturing method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the connector is connected to the circuit board by fixing through any of soldering, welding, and adhering with a conductive paste. 
 
     
     
       13. The sensor manufacturing method according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the cable includes a plurality of strands and an outer covering bundling the plurality of strands, 
 wherein each of the strands includes a core wire composed of a plurality of conductive wires and an inner covering the core wire, 
 wherein the connector further includes a pressure-contact blade provided in each of the first pair of protrusions, 
 wherein the sensor manufacturing method may further comprise, after the third step, a fourth step of tightening the connector so that an interval of the first pair of protrusions becomes narrow, and 
 wherein in the fourth step, the pressure-contact blade penetrates the inner covering to be conductive to the core wire.